Being a patron of Horrocks and the Pancake House, as well as having my kids attend school downtown, I've often driven past Econo Lodge on Capital and wondered what in the world was going on over there.

It's common to see sad-eyed people looking out of the screenless windows, while sketchy-looking characters loiter the lot.

We don't park too close, and we struggle to believe it is a traditional hotel at all. The fact that it had 475 police calls in just over a year wasn't surprising, nor were the reports of code violations and long-term occupants.

It was easy to want action and even easier to define that action: Shut these places down.

The second story educated me about what I couldn't see from the outside.

Families were living there, people with jobs and kids in school. Living in a hotel wasn't their first option, but it was their only option outside of a shelter. There were few apartments available to them at rates they could afford, especially with the upfront security deposit. Many have an eviction on record, which reduces their options even further.

I was glued to every word of that second article, particularly the interviews with Joy Thomas and Sherry Brandt, who had been living at the Rodeway Inn with their families.

Brandt posed a great question: "Would they rather us be in shelters that they have to fund?"

Shutting down places like these may reduce crime, or it may just push it somewhere else. It will definitely push out people who are earning a living and sending their children to school.

These aren't people who want a handout. They are holding a job and holding their family together despite desperate circumstances.

Where are they supposed to go?

According to a study commissioned by Battle Creek Unlimited, there will be 5,293 people eligible for affordable housing in Calhoun County, by 2021, but only 1,015 units available.

No one is building new units at this time.

Even if there wasn't a low-income housing shortage, there are legal barriers that cripple many people's second chances at real housing.

What are they supposed to do?

We have a chance in Battle Creek to have a real conversation about how to help people who want to help themselves. The paper took the first step, making us aware of the complicated situation.

The next step is to develop a life-affirming solution. I’m not sure what that is, but these people are our neighbors. We owe it to them to figure it out.